an PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 18 JULY 1988
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR HAWKE, THE PRIME
MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND, MR LANGE AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF
IRELAND, MR HAUGHEY.
" Nelson Mandela celebrates his 70th birthday. Although he
has been held in a South African jail for 25 years Nelson
Mandela remains a potent symbol of freedom for all those
living under the vicious regime of apartheid."
These are the comments made by the Prime minister of New
Zealand, Rt Hon. David Lange, the Prime Minister of Ireland,
Mr Charles T. Haughey, and the Prime Minister of Australia,
Hon. R. J. L. Hawke, in a joint statement issued today at the
conclusion of Mr Haughey's visit to Australia and New
Zealand. The Prime Ministers went on to say that Nelson Mandela has
dedicated himself to the struggle against apartheid on
behalf of all African people. " He has fought against white
domination and he has fought against black domination", they
said. " His ideals are those of a democratic and free
society in which all races live together with equal
opportunities" " We call on South Africa to release Nelson Mandela without
condition and to remove the ban on the African National
Congress", said the Prime Ministers. " This would act as a
clear signal to those who respect freedom and the democratic
process that the South African Government is genuine in its
desire to take part in a peacefully negotiated settlement."
" There must be a dawning of sanity in Pretoria if the worst
is not to happen", the Prime Ministers concluded. 393